Toward an International Initiative for Traumatic Brain Injury Research

Abstract

The European Commission (EC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) jointly sponsored a workshop on October 18-20, 2011 in Brussels to discuss the feasibility and benefits of an international collaboration in the field of traumatic brain injury (TBI) research. The workshop brought together scientists, clinicians, patients, and industry representatives from around the globe as well as funding agencies from the EU, Spain, the United States, and Canada. Sessions tackled both the possible goals and governance of a future initiative and the scientific questions that would most benefit from an integrated international effort: how to optimize data collection and sharing; injury classification; outcome measures; clinical study design; and statistical analysis. There was a clear consensus that increased dialogue and coordination of research at an international level would be beneficial for advancing TBI research, treatment, and care. To this end, the EC, the NIH, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research expressed interest in developing a framework for an international initiative for TBI Research (InTBIR). The workshop participants recommended that InTBIR initially focus on collecting, standardizing, and sharing clinical TBI data for comparative effectiveness research, which will ultimately result in better management and treatments for TBI.

Outcome Prediction after Mild and Complicated Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: External Validation of Existing Models and Identification of New Predictors Using the TRACK-TBI Pilot Study

“…These predictors will need further validation in ongoing prospective, longitudinal studies, such as those that are part of the International TBI Research Initiative. 38,39 …”

Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research in Traumatic Brain Injury (CENTER-TBI)

“…26 This collaboration of international funding agencies is unique. However, perhaps even more unique is the fact that all the projects will undertake data collection to common standards based on the Common Data Elements scheme developed by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 20 with the database structure that is compatible with FITBIR.…”

Global neurotrauma research challenges and opportunities

“…Results were far from expected because advanced monitoring tools used to guide treatments in high-income countries were not as successful in LMICs, and discussion within the global neurotrauma scientific community emerged after the publication of this study [23][24][25][26][27] . The interpretation and implications of the study for the neurotrauma field in high-income countries and LMICs are still being analysed 28 . The applicability of high-income-country clinical research standards in LMICs is an important topic for future international research.…”